The Asia America Symphony Guild recently presented an elegant holiday soiree of instrumental music, gourmet dining, a high-style fashion show and boutique vendors at the Palos Verdes Estates home of Carolyn and Julian Elliott.

Alone, the exquisite oceanfront villa guaranteed a huge treat for guests. But add a performance by Grammy-

nominated jazz musician David Benoit in concert with the Asia America Youth Orchestra, fashions by Renko Original Fashions and Naru-Mi Designs, and mouth-

The dining-room buffet sparkled with sterling and crystal and featured the latest in fancy comfort foods – including a hot mashed potato bar featuring potatoes served in martini glasses with a choice of a dozen toppings.

Guests flitted from the bar to the dining room to the vendors and back to the dining room for a taste of “upside-down pear tarte tatin” before retiring to the grand salon for the fashion show, followed by a performance by Benoit and about 15 musicians of the youth orchestra.

Benoit directs the youth orchestra as well as the Asia America Symphony Orchestra.

Also on the program was tenor Drake Morinaka and the Lunada Bay School Chorus directed by Paula Del Vicario.

The program was chaired by AASG co-presidents Joanne Chang and Elizabeth Morinaka.

Funds raised will help underwrite the Asia America Symphony Orchestra’s 2009 season, which features four concerts, beginning with an evening with saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa and the orchestra, along with the David Benoit Trio, at 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at the James Armstrong Theater in Torrance.

The season continues at 7p.m. Feb. 8 with “Music for two Trios” featuring the Ahn Trio and the Benoit Trio. The third concert features the Asia America Youth Orchestra, at 7 p.m. April 19 at the Armstrong.

And the season concludes at 8 p.m. May 30 with a concert by the Asia America Symphony Orchestra, featuring Lea Salonga, at the Aratani Japan America Theatre in Los Angeles. Salonga originated the role of Kim in “Miss Saigon” and was the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in the 1992 animated film “Aladdin.”

For more information, call 310-377-8977.

Early Christmas for

Torrance Memorial

There’ll be no Grinch or Scrooge hovering around the Torrance Memorial Medical Center this year, despite the nation’s gloomy economy. Call it skill, luck or – more precisely – generosity. For sure, it was a blessing.

At the Holiday Festival black-tie dinner, about 700 guests witnessed an early Christmas miracle when their hopes of raising $500,000 were met and easily surpassed, with pledges reaching $3.2 million by the end of the evening. Proceeds will go toward building a new patient tower on the hospital site.

The giving began when Melanie and Richard Lundquist pledged $1 million and offered to serve as honorary campaign co-chairs to the $200 million capital campaign announced that night.

Inspired by the Lundquists’ gift, Sam Menzelos, representing the Vasek Polak Foundation, announced a gift of $2million. This unleashed a wave of donations, including a $50,000 gift from Sam and Rose Feng of Manhattan Beach.

In 2006, during the Holiday Festival, the medical center launched its $75 million capital campaign for building initiatives. With $65million now raised, the center has kicked off a $200million campaign to fund the seven-story patient tower slated for completion in 2014.

Other major sponsors for the event were John and Billee Gogian ($50,000); Suzy and Bob Barth, Priscilla and Donald Hunt and the Tuffli Family Foundation ($25,000).

While some area dance companies have completed their seasonal runs of “The Nutcracker,” South Bay Ballet will hold its stunningly beautiful production this weekend. But it also will give several outreach performances for low-income children and adults.

There still are tickets available for the company’s two main performances at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Marsee Auditorium at El Camino College near Torrance. Tickets are $28, $18 for children 12 and under. Call 310-329-5345 or go to www.centerforthearts.org.

But for 1,800 disadvantaged children and adults, the company presents an outreach production at the Marsee at 6p.m. Thursday. Participants are invited through 30 nonprofits, including area Boys and Girls Clubs and the Richstone Family Center.

In addition, the South Bay Ballet’s senior company dancers will perform “Waltz of the Flowers” from “The Nutcracker” in the 49th annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles, being held from 3 to 9 p.m. Dec. 24. Admission and Music Center parking is free.

The company is directed by Diane Lauridsen and assistant artistic director Candice Davis.

For more information, go to www.southbayballet.org.

The entire program will be broadcast live on KCET. Meredith Grenier is a freelance writer. She can be reached at meredithgrenier@yahoo.com.

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